Nasdaq
Nasdaq is a fully electronic US stock exchange known for listing many technology and growth companies; the name also refers to its stock indices.
Nasdaq was founded in 1971 as the world's first electronic stock market. Instead of a trading floor, buyers and sellers are matched entirely by computer. Its name originally stood for National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations.
Nasdaq became the home of many technology companies, and today it lists some of the largest businesses in the world. It also lists companies from health care, consumer goods, finance and other sectors. Nasdaq ticker symbols traditionally have four or five letters, although shorter ones exist too.
The word Nasdaq is used in three different ways, which can be confusing. It can mean the exchange itself, the Nasdaq Composite index of nearly all stocks listed there, or the Nasdaq-100 index of its largest non-financial companies. When a news report says the Nasdaq fell 1%, it usually means the Nasdaq Composite.
Like the NYSE, Nasdaq offers regular trading from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, plus pre-market and after-hours sessions.